IGN Between the Panels: Why Spider-Man Should Stay a Swinging Bachelor

[Tuck]

IGN article against reviving the marriage.

Pretty close to me in some ways from the other side (I'm pro Peter and Mary Jane at least heading toward marriage). I definitely don't agree about the marriage being a backward step. If anything, erasure was, and it would be a move forward again . . . but it would have to be after re-establishing Pete and MJ as a couple, of course.

I like the last paragraph though.

If Renew Your Vows proves anything, it's that there is a need for alternate universe stories and different takes on popular heroes. Maybe it's not a good idea to bring back Spider-Man's marriage, but that doesn't mean we can't enjoy this glimpse of a different Peter Parker for a few months. With all the different alternate universes in the comics and all the incarnations of Spider-Man across film, TV, and games, there's no need for each and every version of the hero to be identical. What really makes Spider-Man the ultimate everyman hero is the fact that everyone can find some incarnation of the character to love.

[Aruran.]

That article was weird.

Like I get a majority of what people didn't like about the marriage, but this article seemed to be like a fluff piece in favour of the decision back in 2008.

The reality is that when Marvel did BND, the did a lot more other things that were never done prior to anything in the past. And that's more of an editorial standpoint of who's writing, what books are coming out and where the story leads.

The reality is there hasn't been a romantic storyline for Peter Parker that's gained notability in the last 7 years that didn't involve OMD. Otto's relationship with Anna gained way more popularity in 6 months they were together over anything Peter did in BND/ Big Time.

[Tuck]

this article seemed to be like a fluff piece

Well, it's IGN.

I still think there was some worthwhile stuff in it though.

[Aruran.]

I still think there was some worthwhile stuff in it though.

There is. He's not wrong when he said Peter can't be fixed in a spot for long periods of time. Or about the good stories that happened.

It just really seemed like it was an article from early BND with random facts added in. Cause he only was talking about the positive, nothing definitely negative.

[Vortex85]

There is. He's not wrong when he said Peter can't be fixed in a spot for long periods of time. Or about the good stories that happened.

The marriage did not prevent from Peter leaving one spot in life anymore than him staying single does. The stories told since OMD that progressed the character could have still been told except for a few minor "hookups" which amounted to nothing. You can still progress the characters when they are married, Peter still could have gotten Horizon labs job, CEO of Parker industries, etc...

It's actually more of a shame that he's not married during these arcs because after all the years of barely scraping by making ends meat together, it would have been cool to see MJ's response and how she handled Peter's new success.

[Aruran.]

The marriage did not prevent from Peter leaving one spot in life anymore than him staying single does. The stories told since OMD that progressed the character could have still been told except for a few minor "hookups" which amounted to nothing. You can still progress the characters when they are married, Peter still could have gotten Horizon labs job, CEO of Parker industries, etc...

It's actually more of a shame that he's not married during these arcs because after all the years of barely scraping by making ends meat together, it would have been cool to see MJ's response and how she handled Peter's new success.

But the reality is that Peter was fixed in a certain spot while he was married to MJ. His career didn't change, neither did his love life.
JMS moved Peter into a different spot, and that's how the initial part of his run had success.

The reality is that Marvel had better talent writing on Spider-Man in the 2000s because Marvel had a better set-up to find talent then versus the 90s. Most people that bring the negatives refer to the 90s, rarely anything in the 2000s.

[Mister Mets]

I don't know if it's the strongest articulation of the position, but it's a good point that the context of the discussion has changed. It's no longer about why the marriage should be undone, but why the current status quo should be undone.

Suddenly switching gears and reintroducing a married Peter Parker would be like trying to solve a problem that no longer exists. The marriage is gone, and Peter and MJ simply don’t have that connection or spark anymore. It would merely derail all the work Slott and other writers have been doing for the past seven years. It’s worth noting that the marriage was controversial in the beginning because it was so forced and out of the blue. The two characters were married not because it was the immediate logical extension of their romantic relationship at the time, but because Marvel wanted to maintain parity with the Amazing Spider-Man newspaper strip. There's nothing sexier than a corporate-mandated marriage.

[Michael P]

They're entitled to their opinion. Even if it's wrong.

[Vortex85]

I don't know if it's the strongest articulation of the position, but it's a good point that the context of the discussion has changed. It's no longer about why the marriage should be undone, but why the current status quo should be undone.


Suddenly switching gears and reintroducing a married Peter Parker would be like trying to solve a problem that no longer exists.

Thats if you think the marriage was somehow a problem. The writer of Spider-Man at the time of OMD certainly didn't think so, nor the majority of readers and vast majority of responders to the article.

The marriage is gone, and Peter and MJ simply don’t have that connection or spark anymore. It would merely derail all the work Slott and other writers have been doing for the past seven years.

OMD derailed all the work put into the marriage for 20 years.

It’s worth noting that the marriage was controversial in the beginning because it was so forced and out of the blue. The two characters were married not because it was the immediate logical extension of their romantic relationship at the time, but because Marvel wanted to maintain parity with the Amazing Spider-Man newspaper strip. There's nothing sexier than a corporate-mandated marriage.

OMD was forced and out of the blue. It was not immediately logical for Peter to sacrifice his marriage to save his Aunt in a faustian bargain, especially when she prevoiusly stated she was ready to go and wanted him to get old and have children with his wife. It was corporately mandated for them to unmarry, when after all the work spent on the marriage over the years, and what it meant for the lack of success of future romance for the title given the reader investment in the marriage, probably meant it shouldn't be.

Face it, after 20 years of marriage, it is likely every new romance will pale in comparison and will be seen to amount to nothing until Peter and MJ tie the knot again. For now, and especially behind the shadow of OMD, true love for Peter is dead.

[Vortex85]

But the reality is that Peter was fixed in a certain spot while he was married to MJ. His career didn't change, neither did his love life.
JMS moved Peter into a different spot, and that's how the initial part of his run had success.

Well you just contradicted your previous statement.

Peter DID change careers.

Also, his love life DID change drastically over the years, several times in fact, between him and MJ. From happy new weds, to down and depressed nearly split, to moving on together to start a family, to losing and overcoming the loss of a child, to hiding the fact that he was Spidey, to thinking she was dead and being a widower, to being seperated and pining for each other, to a strong freshly renewed relationship.

You can't tell me the dynamics of Peter's love life didn't change under the marriage, it was the most in depth example of what a love life could be, and all that history just futher invested readers into emotional attachment to the couple. You are going to sacrifce that, just to swap out the woman he is with from time to time (ensuring minimal reader investment can ever exist)? To rinse and repeat a endless succession of failed relationships? To tease the idea of a relationship instead of actually giving him one with where actual relationship drama can occur? Bad move, IMO. What you lost was much more valuable than what you gained from removing it.

[comicscollector]

Very much agreed that Peter Parker should stay a bachelor.
And even so i am more that likely to read the Renow your vows story arc,because i am intrigued to see Slott and Kubert take of Peter and MJ married.
Because the marriage years was a importante phase of the Spidey stories,so it will be interesting to see what Slott will do with that Status quo.
But i am really hoping that Peter Parker remains bachelor after Secret Wars.
I have already read twenty years worth of stories with a married Peter Parker thus why i am not really interested to see that SQ come back.
Dunno why there are fans that think the status qou of Spider-Man should be the same forever,i am more of a fan of a more plastic SQ that can be developed in diferente directions with diferente romantic interests for Peter Parker.
The marriage SQ was already developed during 20 years by diferente writers why would i want to read even more stories about that again?

[comicscollector]

They're entitled to their opinion. Even if it's wrong.

So the only way to Spider-Man stories to be good is if Peter and Mary Jane are married?!
That seems to downgrade the potential of Spider-Man stories to a level that i dont agree at all.
Plus there are decades of stories before Amazing Spider-Man Annual#21,series during the marriage years (As untold Spider-Man stories) and good couple of years post 2008 that shows how a bachelor Peter Parker can feature in good Spider-Man stories in a regular way.

[Tuck]

Dunno why there are fans that think the status qou of Spider-Man should be the same forever,

The ideal of marriage is that it is permanent. It's weird to think - even in fiction - of a character as progressing past being married.

i am more of a fan of a more plastic SQ that can be developed in diferente directions with diferente romantic interests for Peter Parker.
The marriage SQ was already developed during 20 years by diferente writers why would i want to read even more stories about that again?

And bachelor Peter was developed over 25 year (plus another 7 now) by different writers. The thing is, objectionable as it would have been to fans, a divorce would have been a path forward. What we have is a regression. I've enjoyed most of the past seven years, but it still would have worked better as a proper reboot rather than as a de facto reboot we're to pretend isn't a reboot.

[Vortex85]

Very much agreed that Peter Parker should stay a bachelor.
And even so i am more that likely to read the Renow your vows story arc,because i am intrigued to see Slott and Kubert take of Peter and MJ married.
Because the marriage years was a importante phase of the Spidey stories,so it will be interesting to see what Slott will do with that Status quo.
But i am really hoping that Peter Parker remains bachelor after Secret Wars.
I have already read twenty years worth of stories with a married Peter Parker thus why i am not really interested to see that SQ come back.
Dunno why there are fans that think the status qou of Spider-Man should be the same forever,i am more of a fan of a more plastic SQ that can be developed in diferente directions with diferente romantic interests for Peter Parker.
The marriage SQ was already developed during 20 years by diferente writers why would i want to read even more stories about that again?

The majority of fans seem to want it, at least on the internet. Also, for the majority of readers who read the marriage, the illusion is broken on new relationships. They are not meant to last, to amount to much, and we already know they will not be Peter's true love.

Also, just because you already read the character a certain way doesn't mean you shouldn't let new fans from experiencing that. (See, that argument works both ways for single AND married Spidey.)

[Vortex85]

So the only way to Spider-Man stories to be good is if Peter and Mary Jane are married?!
That seems to downgrade the potential of Spider-Man stories to a level that i dont agree at all.
Plus there are decades of stories before Amazing Spider-Man Annual#21,series during the marriage years (As untold Spider-Man stories) and good couple of years post 2008 that shows how a bachelor Peter Parker can feature in good Spider-Man stories in a regular way.

There are those who believe the stories of Spider-Man are better when he has a family because it raises the stakes, raises the responsibility, and raises the drama for him in his personal life beyond what it would be if he was single or just dating. If you look at the marjority of responses to the IGN article, most agree.

It's kinda ironic how they are choosing a MARRIED Peter for the big secret wars event, as opposed to a single Spidey. Also, marketing as "The stakes have never been higher." Wouldn't you want the stakes to always be the on the higher end?